WBAL's Scott Wykoff has the latest from the Baltimore Police Training Academy Download This File

Major Joseph Smith has returned to the police department's training academy as its new director (WBAL Photo by Scott Wykoff)

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts and other top commanders speak at the Baltimore Police Training Academy as training at the facility resumes a week after a trainee was shot Download This File

Commissioner Batts (right) praised Smith's (far left) dedication and willingness to take on academy leadership at such a pivotal time (WBAL Photo by Scott Wykoff)

With a new city police training academy director in-place on Tuesday, the training academy put on hold by an accidental shooting of a trainee a week ago resumed some operations. At the same time, Baltimore's top cop said police will conduct a department-wide review of the use of weapons by officers.

"Right now we are resuming academics only," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts. "Any skills training (involving firearms and other weapons) will be postponed until I have an adequate time to review all policies specific to skills training."

The academy resumed classroom operations and academic instruction Tuesday but not firearms training. That portion of the instruction will be pushed to the end of the curriculum.

All as Maryland State Police continues its investigation into the shooting and the police department continues its review of policies and procedures in the wake of the shooting.

"We have taken any use of force, whether dealing with striking weapons, tasers or guns and moved that further back," added Batts. "Right now we are doing a lot of academics and physical fitness so as we continue with the investigation we further will make some tweaks, so we are buying ourselves time so to make sure that we have those pieces in line."

Having been by the bed side of the injured University of Maryland Police trainee for the last several days, the commissioner says doctors tell him that the trainee is progressing better than what they expected, however he says doctors have also told him this will be a long road and you can never be too sure that they are out of the woods at this point in time.

"I've had a chance to meet his wife, meet his mom and spend some time with other family members," says Batts. "They shared with me the fact that when he was in high school he was a linebacker and he is being very, very tough and very strong at this moment so our prayers and our wishes are there."

The Baltimore City Police Commissioner said in his more than 3 decades of police service he has been at too many bed sides and said too many prayers.

"There is no reason why we should be walking down this path today," added Batts. "However with this tragedy we are going to make this into an opportunity to grow as an organization and make it better."

He said he went to a district roll call yesterday and shared with them his irratation.

"How upset I am about this scenario," said Batts. "The fact that I had to share with his wife and his mother the issues that are at stake here. And what I shared with that roll call is this. Is that this weapon that we carry on hips, they are not toys. They are not here for games. They're not here for games. They're not here for playtime. We have a very serious job. We have tremendous responsibility. The Constitution, the laws give us tremendous responsibility and we are here to protect and to teach our recruits properly."

Batts went on to say, "Protocols are not for play. Protocols are there to be followed. Protocols are there to keep us safe. And after so many years in our nation of having incidents like this we need to have a conclusion to it to stop."

Describing what led to the shooting as a major procedural breakdown in department systems, Police Commissioner Batts said today the department is moving quickly to correct those breakdowns not only at the training academy, but across the entire city police department.

"What we are going to do is a comprehensive look, not just at this incident," says Batts. "We are going to do a comprehensive look to look at how we use guns, how we use tasers, how we use expandable batons and not just in training. How we use these weapons in every facet in policing this city as a whole."

Also today, police recruits and training instructors had a chance to meet the new director of the department's education and training section, Maj. Joseph Smith. Smith replaces Maj. Eric Russell who was put on administrative suspension while an investigation is ongoing.

Smith, who had previously served as Internal Affairs Commander, Police Academy Commander and a firearms training instructor, will take over on Monday as the academy continues policy audits following last week's accidental shooting of a University of Maryland Police Trainee.

Batts praised Smith's dedication and willingness to take on academy leadership at such a pivotal time.

"As we investigate the facts of this horrific tragedy, it's imperative that we put our best leaders in front to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again in the history of the Baltimore Police Department," Batts said. "Major Smith is a demonstrated leader and is committed to the highest levels of integrity and professional standards."

Batts suspended all police academy operations immediately following the incident at the site of the former Rosewood State Hospital in Owings Mills on Feb. 12. Police said Baltimore City Police Officer William S. Kern, 46, fired the shot that injured the police recruit.

The commissioner along with several members of the training staff as the Maryland State Police and BPD Professional Standards and Accountability Bureau continue conducting criminal and administrative investigations.

On Tuesday, Batts joined Deputy Commissioners John Skinner and Jerry Rodriguez to introduce Smith to the police recruits and training instructors as the police academy is expected to resume limited academic and classroom instruction. The commissioner was expected to outline his expectations and reaffirm that all policies and procedures, specifically those centered on employee safety are strictly adhered to.

Officials said in his most recent assignment, Smith led numerous administrative offices within the agency, including BPD's central records, communications, finance, security and fleet services sections.

In 2001, as police academy commander, he was awarded a unit citation for the class achievements, dedication and a continuing commitment to excellence. He has served in various Patrol and Operational functions but is credited with improving efficiencies and most notably, establishing the department's online reporting system which will allow citizens to report crime through the Internet. Smith joined the department as a police cadet in 1987 and graduated valedictorian from the police academy in 1988. He attended the Community College of Baltimore and is married with three children.